Lightyears Away
by Jennifer Collins
Summary: Will Buzz ever get around to telling Jessie how he feels?
1. Playtime

Disclaimer: I don't own the Toy Story movies or characters

**Lightyears Away**

By Jennifer Collins

Jessie opened her eyes and yawned widely, stretching. She turned her head lazily. Bright sunlight peeked at her through thick curtains. She had to think for a moment where she was. Then all the events of the previous night came flooding into her head and she smiled. She was home. She lifted herself up on her hands and grinned when she looked down and saw the large Buzz Lightyear image that was sewn into Andy's sheets. Her heart skipped as beat as she recalled how cute he was when he'd nervously tried to pay her a compliment.

Something nudged Jessie in her side and she turned to find Bullseye gently rubbing his muzzle against her. She patted his head. "Good mornin'" She greeted him quietly. "How did you sleep?"

Bullseye licked her face happily and she giggled. "Me too." She sighed softly. "It almost feels like a dream, doesn't it, Bullseye?" He cocked his head to the right as he looked at her thoughtfully. Jessie raised her right foot and peered at the bottom of her boot, where Andy had written his name last night. In permanent marker, no less. She scratched her fingernail over the bottom of the "D," but of course the imprint stayed intact. The cowgirl recalled how Andy had played with her and the horse all night. She'd been the star of a daring bank robbery rescue, right after her new friends had come to rescue her for real.

Suddenly Jessie felt a light tap on her shoulder. "Good morning, Jessie."

She looked up. "Woody!" She smiled.

The cowboy tipped his hat. "How was your first night in your new home?"

"Mmmm…. Comfortable!" She wrapped her arms around herself. "It's sure been a long time since I've slept in a bed." She looked around the room. Toys were stirring up everywhere. "Where's Andy?" She asked.

"Well, it's Thursday morning, so Andy's at school."

"Ah," she nodded. "So… what do we do now?"

Woody laughed. "We pretty much do whatever we want until Andy comes home to play with us," he said.

"Oooh, that sounds like fun!" She grinned as Bo Peep came up behind them and put her arms around Woody, hugging him from behind. "Well howdy, Partner!"

"Howdy yourself, Cowgirl," Bo greeted her with a warm smile.

As Jessie watched them embrace, she recalled how a certain space ranger had let her lean on him as they'd all watched the squeaky little critter, Wheezy live and in concert last night. He'd even awkwardly (and adorably) put an arm around her when she'd leaned her head on his shoulder. She smiled at the pleasant memory. "Where is that space toy?" She wondered aloud.

"You mean Buzz? Why, he's right over there," Bo said, gesturing with her crook to where Buzz was sitting on Andy's desk with Hamm, Rex, and Mr. Potato Head. They were playing a video game. Bo smiled knowingly at her and Jessie shook her head, rolling her eyes as she ran off to join them. She could hear Woody chuckling softly behind her and she turned briefly to stick her tongue out at them.

"Hey howdy hey!" She greeted the group, throwing her arms around the space ranger from behind. Her sudden weight threw him slightly off balance and he stuttered for a moment before answering her.

"Oh, hi there, Miss Jessie," he said.

"Miss Jessie? Why, there's no need to be so formal with me, Buzzy Boy!" She thought for a moment. "Should I call you Mr. Lightyear?" She wondered.

"Well… no. Everybody calls me 'Buzz.'"

She nodded. "Well, there you go!" She giggled as she grabbed her cowgirl hat and placed it on top of Buzz's helmet. The other toys laughed. Buzz's face flushed as red as her hat, and they all laughed harder.

"What are you playing?" She asked excitedly.

"Buzz Lightyear of Star Command!" Rex shouted. "I'm teaching Hamm here how to beat Zurg!"

"Cool! Can I play?"

"Of course you can, doll face." Mr. Potato Head patted the space next to him.

"Uh, here," Buzz said. He handed her a controller. "You can have my spot," he said, rising from the desk.

"Where are you going?" She smiled coyly at him. "Aren't you gonna teach me how to play?" She pouted.

"Yes… okay." He pointed to the buttons on the controller. "This one makes him…. uh, me…. kick and that one blocks an attack. If you press the bottom two at the same time you get a special move," he explained.

Jessie giggled. "What does this one do?" She asked as she pressed the blue button on his chest.

"To infinity and beyond!" Buzz's voice box exclaimed. He blushed again.

She laughed loudly, slapping her knee. "Awww, that's so cute! Here! Pull my string!" She turned slightly around.

Buzz hesitated. "Come on, Space Boy, pull my string!" She ordered.

"I'll do it!" Hamm said, yanking on the pullstring.

"Yo-de-lay-hee-who!" Jessie's voice box sounded. She laughed uproariously.

"Oh, that's so neat!" Rex said enthusiastically. "I don't have one of those."

"Well, show her how you roar!" Mr. Potato Head reminded him.

"RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOARRRR!" Rex exclaimed gleefully. "Was that too scary?"

"Not at all," Jessie said laughing. "But it was still scary. Just not over the top," she offered when she saw his face fall slightly.

Rex jumped up and down happily.

"My cork is removable!" Hamm said, not wanting to be left out. "You wanna see?"

"Of course I do, Hammycakes!" Jessie eagerly paid attention to the other toys.

Buzz watched as she and her new friends all took turns showing each other what they could do. Jessie was an intelligent girl and she obviously knew what each toy's function was for, but she acted surprised every time and was genuinely delighted. He smiled.

"Aw, is that cute little doll turning Buzzy Wuzzy into a big mushy wushy?"

Buzz whirled around and narrowed his eyes at Woody. He hadn't even realized the sheriff and his woman had come up behind him. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"Sure you do. You like her," Woody teased.

Buzz crossed his arms. "She's a very smart woman with a bright sense of humor," he said defensively.

Woody and Bo laughed. "So you do like her!" Woody said, always glad to have a reason to laugh at his friend's expense.

"I like all the toys in Andy's room."

"But not all of them are as purdy as Miss Jessie," Bo Peep said. She didn't miss the meaning behind the look of objection in Woody's eyes as he regarded her and she sighed inwardly, her heart nearly skipping a beat. She laughed when she saw Buzz stubbornly turn his head so she wouldn't see him blush. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think she likes you too," she added thoughtfully.

"Really?" Buzz turned his head back to face her. "She's not just toying with me?"

Woody placed a hand on Bo's back. "Say, Bo," he said. "Why don't you go find that out? Buzz and I have to plan tomorrow night's meeting. Sunday is Molly's play group and we'll have to be prepared in case any of us get separated."

"Sure thing, Sheriff." Bo said sweetly. She loved when Woody acted all authoritative and besides, she was eager to talk to the only female toy in the room who was actually close to her age. She wandered off to go find the cowgirl once Woody and Buzz started to get down to business.


	2. Gal Pals

Jessie sat on the floor near Andy's desk. Bullseye was seated in front of her and she brushed his plush fur lightly with a Barbie brush. Occasionally, she let her eyes wander over to where Buzz and Woody were standing on the bed in an animated discussion. She watched Buzz as he listened intently to what Woody was saying and then excitedly gave his own input. She smiled to herself as she remembered how brave he was during her rescue nearly two days ago. She looked down at Bullseye for a moment and recalled the urgent look on Buzz's face as he rode Bullseye like an expert rider to come for her and Woody. Not bad for a space man. She looked back up at Buzz and blushed slightly as the memory of how he felt in her arms as she sat atop Bullseye between him and Woody crept to the front of her mind. Woody had kept her safely in front of him as Buzz guided them all, and she'd eagerly wrapped his arms tightly around his waist as they rode. Now his hands were on his waist as he listened to Woody, his round blue eyes intense…

"He is handsome, isn't he?"

Jessie jumped and looked forward to see Little Bo Peep. "I guess so, for a tall dorky cowboy…" she frowned.

Bo laughed as she took a seat next to the cowgirl. "I was talking about Buzz."

Jessie's eyes narrowed slightly. "You think so?"

"Well I prefer the tall cowboy type, but I think you do."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "You pretty in pink puffy dress types can get so silly."

"Or maybe it's just women's intuition," Bo giggled as she caught Jessie's eyes flicker up to Buzz again for a moment.

Jessie poked Bo with her own crook.

"Relax, I've got it on good authority that he likes you too."

"Really?" Jessie squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"So you do like him," Bo pointed out.

"What's not to like?" Jessie asked. "He's a sweet toy."

"Well, I think it's more than that…." Bo trailed off.

Jessie shrugged. "I barely know him," she reminded her. There was no need to tell Bo how her stomach filled with butterflies whenever looked at her.

"So why don't you get to know him?" Bo suggested.

"It's not like I'm not trying." Jessie shook her head. "I don't get it. He was so brave at the airport last night, but when we got back he was just so shy. It was the same thing earlier when I tried to talk to him."

Bo smiled as she caught the dreamy expression on Jessie's face. "I wouldn't worry about any of that, dear. Buzz is a fairly new toy. I don't see how he would have that much experience talking to girls. He's probably just nervous."

"Who on earth would be nervous around lil ol' me?" Jessie exclaimed loudly.

"Gee, I don't know," Bo answered. Jessie playfully punched her arm and stuck her tongue out.

"Thanks, Bo. It's been awhile since I've had a gal pal to talk to. I'm glad we're both here."

Bo smiled sweetly. "Me too, honey. And don't you forget you can talk to me anytime," she added. Jessie grinned back.

"All right, everyone!" Woody suddenly shouted. "Andy's bus just pulled up in front of the house."

Jessie turned to Bo with wide eyes.

"It's okay," Bo said softly. "Just go back to where you were when Andy left for school."

Buzz came up beside Jessie. "Come on, Miss Jessie. You and Bullseye were on the bed with me and Woody," he gently reminded her when he saw the slight panic in her eyes.

Jessie smiled. "Thanks, Buzz. But call me-"

"Jessie," he said quietly and her heart skipped a beat. She took his hand and let him lead her as Woody called for Bullseye.

"It'll get easier reacting to humans," he promised, misunderstanding why she was so out of breath at the moment.

Once they were all in place, all the toys froze just in time as Andy came bounding up the stairs. "Hey guys! Did you miss me?" He jumped up on his bed and picked up Jessie and Woody. "Guess what… we have some time to play before I start my homework!"


	3. Meeting

Chapter 3

Jessie walked idly around the room while Andy was at school the next day, with Bullseye close by her heels. She was looking for Buzz, but he was nowhere to be found. "Hi there, Jessie!" A shrill voice exclaimed from behind her. She turned and grinned when she saw Mrs. Potato Head. Bullseyes leapt over to lick her face, and Mrs. Potato Head playfully pushed him away.

"Say, Mrs. Potato Head? You haven't seen Buzz Lightyear around here, have you?" Jessie asked, hoping she didn't sound too eager.

Mrs. Potato Head laughed. "Heavens no! He'll be with the Sheriff, preparing for this evening's meeting."

"Oh, that's right," Jessie shook her head.

"Aw, don't be too disappointed, dear! A bunch of us are watching his movie in a little bit if you'd like to join us."

"He has a movie?" Jessie's eyes lit up.

"Oh, sure. You mean you've never seen _Buzz Lightyear of Star Command_?"

"No," Jessie said with wide eyes. "It's been awhile since I've seen much of anything……." She added quietly.

Mrs. Potato Head took the younger woman's hand. "Well come on, dear! You don't know what you've been missing!" She led her over to where her husband was sitting on the bed with Hamm, Rex, and Wheezy.

"Jessie!" Rex exclaimed. "Are you going to watch the movie with us?"

"I sure am."

"Cool!" He patted the space next to him excitedly with his tail, and Jessie settled down next to him, with Hamm on her other side. The potatoes were seated in front of them, so Jessie pulled Wheezy into her lap so he could have a better view.

"Gee, thanks, Jessie!" Wheezy said gratefully.

"No problem, Wheezy. Hey, your new squeaker sounds just as great as the other night!"

Wheezy beamed.

"All right, be quiet, everyone!" Mr. Potato said as he started the movie.

Jessie giggled quietly at the opening scene and even Hamm couldn't help smiling at her reactions. As the film progressed, she couldn't help but let her mind wander, especially when she saw Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head with their arms entangled around each other. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around Wheezy and didn't realize how tightly she was holding him until she heard him squeak. "Sorry," she mouthed.

Wheezy smiled up at her sympathetically. She forced herself to pay attention to the rest of the movie, which she found much easier as she got caught up in the story.

When the film was over, Mr. Potato head went to put movie back in Andy's dvd collection and his wife followed.

"So, what do you think of your Space Ranger now?" Hamm asked with a chuckle.

"I think he's even more fabulous than ever!" She laughed.

"Really? Me too!" Rex shouted.

"You've already seen the movie a hundred times!" Hamm reminded him.

"I know, but it keeps getting better every time!" They went back and forth for awhile and Jessie sat with her arms around her legs.

"Hey, Jess, what do you wanna do now?" Rex asked, not wanting to leave her out.

"Um, how about another crack at Zurg? Hamm still hasn't beaten the game yet," she said with a grin.

"All right, all right. But we probably don't have much time until the meeting," Hamm warned.

"Yeah, that'll be another way for you to see your sweetie in action," Rex said.

Jessie blinked and coughed loudly. The other toys laughed. "I guess he's real important around here, huh?" She said once she recovered.

"Oh, yes!" Rex agreed.

She shook her head and smiled. Just then Little Bo Peep walked over. "What are you toys up to?" she wondered.

"We were just about to play a round of the video game," Jessie replied. "You want to join?"

"Can I watch?"

"Of course!" Jessie stood up next to her and they watched the other toys start up the game.

"So…" Bo began. "How did last night go?"

Jessie thought for a moment. "Last night?" She asked.

"With Buzz," Bo prompted. "Did you two get to talking?"

"Oh." Jessie shook her head. "Not too much. We were afraid to wake Andy," she admitted.

"Well, maybe tonight after the meeting you can try to talk to him."

"Yeah, I guess. But won't Andy be back from school?"

"Today's Friday, dear. Andy goes bike riding with his buddies every Friday after school, as long as the weather's nice," Bo Peep informed her.

Jessie smiled. "Maybe I will get that Space Ranger to converse with me…." Her smile spread larger when she saw that Buzz and Woody had come back into the room.

"Gather around, everyone," Woody called with Mr. Mike's microphone to his mouth.

All the toys began to crowd around on the floor in front of the two friends and Jessie followed eagerly, excited to be at her first Andy's room meeting.

"As you all know, in two days Molly's play group is coming here," Buzz began.

Jessie pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin in her hand as she watched him talk. He spoke so clearly and precisely. She found it a bit difficult to turn her gaze to Woody once he started speaking, but she knew that what he said to say was just as important, so she forced herself to listen carefully.

"…. Up to 6 toddlers…." She heard him say through her dreamy fog. That got her attention. She watched as Woody drew some diagrams on the chalk board.

"And remember, if you do get separated from the room, just remain frozen until all the children leave and meet at the bookcase. Woody and I will be taking attendance to make sure no toy gets left behind," Buzz finished urgently.

"Thank you again for your attention," Woody added, always eager to have the last word.

All the toys clapped and cheered for Woody and Buzz.

"Are you awake from your daydream?" Bo Peep asked Jessie when everyone started bustling about again.

"Hmmm?" Jessie asked. She was watching Buzz erase the chalk board.

"I saw you staring at him for the whole meeting. From the way he was staring back, he might as well have just been talking to you," Bo said with a smile.

Jessie blushed. "Was he really looking at me?"

Bo laughed. "The poor space cadet can't keep his eyes off you, even now," she added slyly.

Jessie looked up and sure enough, Buzz was watching her, but he quickly looked away and turned back to Woody.

Across the room, Woody was wrapping Mr. Mike's cord around his arm. "I think that went well," he said. "Don't you think so, Buzz?" He added sharply when Buzz didn't answer right away.

"Right, Woody. It went very smoothly," Buzz agreed distractedly. His eyes had just met Jessie's and his stomach did a somersault.

Woody followed Buzz's gaze to where Jessie was still sitting on the floor next to Bo Peep. He rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you don't just talk to her more," he said. "It's not exactly a secret that you like her," he pointed out.

"It's not that," Buzz said.

"Oh come on. You know she has a crush on you too, don't you?" Woody said.

"I…uh.. " Buzz stuttered.

"Oh, give me a break. Now you can't talk to me?" Woody laughed and punched him in the arm. "You know, Buzz. What are the other toys going to think if you can't even talk to a girl?" He teased.

Buzz thought about that for a moment. "I guess I can find something to say to her," he said.

"Of course you can! You're Buzz Lightyear! You protect the whole galaxy, this should be a piece of cake!"

"You're right," Buzz said in a deep voice, hoping he sounded more brave than he felt.


	4. Jessie's Roundup

Bo and Jessie hadn't moved from their spot on the floor. "You see?" Bo giggled. He keeps on looking at you as if you're the only one in the room." She sighed. "That's so romantic."

"Well then, why doesn't he just come on over here?" Jessie said, frustrated.

Bo looked at her.

"Ugh, this is so frustrating!" She continued. "One minute he's brave, the next he's shy, then he takes charge again, then he's shy." She let her eyes wander over to Buzz again. He was in a heated discussion with Woody and was definitely not looking her way at the moment.

"Well, at least you know he does like you," Bo pointed out.

"True… but I just wish he would….. "

"He would what?" Bo asked, more intrigued now.

"Make a move!" Jessie shouted. She clapped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment when a few toys looked up.

Bo laughed. "Don't you worry, honey. He'll come around." She winked. "Eventually," she added.

Jessie pouted. "This is not how we do things in the wild west," she grumbled.

"But you're not in the wild west. You're in Andy's room."

"Well too bad." Jessie stood up. "I'm gonna show ya'll how we do things back home!" She yelled.

Bullseye perked up and galloped over to her. She made her way over to Mr. Mike and whispered something before straightening up. "Okay, everybody," she said into the microphone. "Ya'll have heard of Woody's Roundup? Well this here is Jessie's Roundup!"

An upbeat country western tune played from Mr. Mike's speaker and Jessie moved to the beat. "Come on down if ya think you can keep up!"

All the toys cheered and a few of them eagerly joined her. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head whirled around in circles and Jessie wove in and out of their path. Hamm moved his feet and stomped to beat. Wheezy, Rex, and Slinky Dog scurried over and threw their legs up and down, mimicking Jessie's moves. The little green army men formed a circle around the dancing crowd and swayed along. "Yee-haw!" Jessie shouted over and over again as she kicked up her heels.

Buzz's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched. Woody clapped his hands in time with the beat.

Jessie had found a tambourine and she was slapping it lightly, holding it high above Bullseye's head and jingling it teasingly as he tried to touch it with his nose. He moved back and forth, switching his weight from his front legs to his hind legs and back again as he tried to reach the instrument. She laughed hysterically and yodeled loudly.

"You said it, sister!" Mr. Potato Head said encouragingly.

Even Mr. Mike was bopping to the beat, toddling from corner to corner as the music blared. Bo Peep stood beside him, clapping her hands enthusiastically. Jessie grabbed her hands and twirled her around and the two girls laughed merrily.

"Come on, Buzz!" Woody shouted and he stomped his feet along to the beat.

Buzz hesitated for a second as the little green aliens looked up at him expectantly.

Suddenly the Woody's Roundup theme song started to play. "Well, that's my cue," he said before leaping off. "Hey howdy hey!" he shouted as he came up behind Jessie.

"Hey howdy hey!" She giggled as she greeted him. "Make way for the rootinest, tootinest cowboy around!" She yelled. He came toward her and the two launched into an improvised routine, kicking up their heels, and do si do'ing and hooting with laughter.

"The call her Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl," Bo sung sweetly along with the song.

"As dainty as a fairy, Princess of the Prairie!" Jessie sang out loudly, swinging her hips.

"Oooooh!" the three little aliens exclaimed appreciatively as Woody grabbed both of Jessie's hands and spun her around in circles.

Buzz tapped them lightly with his foot. "Come on, guys. Let's go join them," he said, ushering them forward.

"Hi kids!" Mrs. Potato Head laughed merrily when her adopted children came to dance around her.

Woody placed his hands on Jessie's waist and lifted her high up into the air. She squealed delightedly as he whirled her around. Just then, Rex bumped into him and he lost his balance. Jessie went flying.

"Oof!" She yelped as she fell… right into Buzz's waiting arms.

"Hello, Prairie Princess," He said, flashing her a wide smile.

"Well, howdy partner!" She threw her arms around his neck. "Just in time," she said sweetly.

Woody on the other hand, was not so lucky. He'd landed on top of poor Slinky Dog, and Bo ran to help him untangle his legs from Slink's coils, laughing wholeheartedly.

Jessie leapt out of Buzz's arms and set her feet on the floor. "How about a spin?"

"Sure," Buzz said, a little too eagerly. He winked. "That might be how you cowfolk do things, getting all tangled up on the floor, but let me show you how a space ranger does it right," he teased.

"Ooh, I like a challenge!" Jessie said coyly. She held out her hands and Buzz took them, but then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her backwards against him and spinning her out as far as their outstrectched arms would allow them before pulling her close to him again.

"Man, this Space Boy's got moves!" She shouted happily. She met Bo's gaze and winked as she twirled around with Buzz. Bo was happy that Woody was available again and she quickly claimed him before anyone else could.

Jessie kept up a fast pace, almost jogging around Buzz as he stepped in small circles. Just then, some other toys came in between, dancing and shouting excitedly. Jessie was a little disappointed that her time with Buzz had been cut short, but she was having so much fun with all her new friends that she didn't want to stop. She looked over her shoulder to see that he was reluctantly getting pulled away to. "Look for me later!" She shouted over the raucous.

"Okay!" he shouted back.

She giggled and moved in between the two potatoes. Rex was shimmying awkwardly next to them and swung his tail excitedly, nearly hitting Jessie in the legs until she pulled her knees up and jumped over. That gave them an idea for a fun game and Hamm, Wheezy and the potatoes lined up to jump next.

Jessie moved over to where Slinky Dog was swaying and flapping his ears. She skipped over him and whirled back, clapping her hands. "You too, Slinky! Come on, faster!"

Slinky looked up at her, exhaustion plain on his face. "Now hold on there for a moment, doll face," he said, pausing for a breath. "I'm not as young a pup as I used to be."

Jessie nodded and bent down with her hands on her knees until her nose was inches from his. "Well, then you set the pace," she said quietly. She stood up quickly and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Alright, everyone! Let's see who here can keep up with Slink!" She shouted. Slinky swayed his front half and back half in opposite directions and Hamm and the three aliens moved behind him, forming a conga line. All the other toys whooped and cheered and Slinky smiled at Jessie gratefully.

Jessie moved to the back of the conga line and was delighted to feel Buzz's hands on her shoulders. They did a couple of laps around the room before Woody called for everyone to start settling down.

Buzz walked over to Mr. Mike to turn off the music and Woody followed. "Wasn't that fun?" He asked excitedly.

Buzz nodded. "It was," he agreed.

"Man, that girl really knows how to get a cowboy going!" Woody laughed. "I still have the Woody's Roundup theme playing in my head!"

Buzz threw the tambourine at him. "You always have the Woody theme in your head," he teased.

Bo came over and wrapped her arms around Woody then, not wanting their playful banter to turn into an all out brawl as it sometimes did.

Buzz was reminded of something. "Excuse me. I've got to go find Jessie," he said.

"She's sitting right there on the bed," Bo offered.

"Thanks," Buzz said, making his way over to Jessie.

She was sitting at the edge of the bed with her legs splayed out to her side, with her hands behind her head and her yellow bow between her teeth. Her hat was placed in front of her and a Barbie brush sat in her lap. Her lovely red yarn hair hung loosely down her back.

Buzz walked over to her. "Mind if I join you?"

Jessie shook her head and patted the space next to her. He sat down with his legs dangling off the edge of the bed. She took the untied ribbon out of her mouth and handed it to Buzz. "My hair's come all undone in the rowdiness," she explained.

He nodded. "You do throw a wild party."

She laughed. "Could you give me a hand with my braid?"

"Uh, sure." He slid behind her and took her hair into his hands, twirling some strands of yarn in between his fingers.

Jessie looked down and fidgeted with her hands.

"What am I saying? I don't know how to do this," he said, laughing.

Jessie giggled. "What's the matter? They don't teach you how to braid in the space academy?" she asked teasingly as she turned her head to look at him.

"No, I must have been absent from class that day," he answered, smiling his wide, sparkly smile.

"Well, that's okay." She picked up the Barbie brush and proceeded to pull it through her loose hair. "I'll just fix it later." She frowned when the brush got stuck in her tangled hair and tugged on it harder. "I guess my hair's too thick for these cheap plastic brushes," she grumbled.

"Here, let me," Buzz said, gently pulling the brush out of her hair. He handed it to her and she threw it on the floor. He raised his hands up to her head, then hesitated. "May I?" he asked.

"Sure," she smiled. "Have at it, if you're brave enough."

Buzz gathered her soft yarn hair into his hands and lightly combed his fingers through. "You know I saw what you did for Slink," he began. "That was really sweet of you."

Jessie shrugged her shoulders. "No critter's gonna be left out so long as I'm here," she said.

Buzz's long plastic fingers worked much better on her hair than the tiny brush and he had the tangles out in no time. "There, you're all set."

She smiled, slightly disappointed that he was done so fast. "Thank you." She put her hands behind her head and proceeded to twist her hair back into a braid. "How am I doing?" she asked.

"Much better than me," he answered seriously.

"Could you tie the bow for me?" she asked a little timidly.

He picked the ribbon up and moved her hands out of the way. "Now that I can do." He was pleased to find that even though his heart still pounded at the mere sight of her, it was becoming much easier to talk to her. He wasn't even surprised that he was actually able to tie the bow for her.

She whirled around. "How does that look?"

He nodded his head. "Perfect."

She scooted closer to him. "So… " she began a little awkwardly.

Uh-oh, he thought nervously. Now that he was done helping her with her hair, he didn't really know what to say.

Jessie smiled and thankfully started up the conversation. "I saw your movie today," she informed him.

"Oh, did you?" Buzz was a little embarrassed.

"Yup. I liked it." She grinned.

"Good, I'm glad."

She siddled up to him until her knee was touching his leg. "So tell me something about space."

Buzz thought for a moment, and suddenly he had a great idea. "Well, actually there's a meteor shower heading our way on Sunday night. We should be able to see it from this area."

Jessie clapped her hands excitedly. "A real one?"

"Yeah. We could… watch it together. Outside," He said hopefully, hoping he wasn't being too forward.

"You mean, outside outside?" Her big green eyes grew wide.

He nodded his head, laughing.

"But how will get out there without anyone seeing?"

"Don't worry, the Davis family will all be asleep."

"But what about the sheriff?" She jerked her chin towards Woody. "Won't he be mad?"

Buzz winked. "Us toys around here don't always play by the rules."

"Yee-haw!" She yelped. "Okay, then. I would love to watch it with you," she said enthusiastically as the excitement bubbled up inside her. She couldn't keep herself from throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh, Buzz! I'm so happy we'll finally get to hang out together!"

Buzz patted her back. "Me too," he said, relieved. Woody was right. This was a lot easier than he'd ever thought it would be. He moved toward her when she pulled away and looked down sadly. "What's the matter, Jessie?"

"It's just that there's so much time left until Sunday!"

"Hmmm… why don't we do something tomorrow then. You know, to keep your mind off waiting for the meteor shower?"

Her face lit up and her eyes brightened. "Really?" She squeaked. Then she hunched her shoulders. "But tomorrow's Saturday. We won't be able to sneak alive while Andy's here," she pointed out.

"Actually, Andy has a birthday party at the amusement park tomorrow. We have the whole day to keep your mind off your meteor shower anxiety."

Jessie clapped her hands again. "Yay!" She shifted her weight to her knees and stood up slightly. "Okay, tell me more about space stuff."

At the head of the bed, Woody and Bo Peep sat still gushing about how much fun they'd had that evening. Bo looked over to where Buzz and Jessie were sitting at the edge of the bed, finally talking. "Just look at those two," Bo said sighing. "They are so cute."

Woody took her hand. "Come on, let's go bug 'em," he said, ignoring her protests. As they approached, he saw Buzz standing in front of his cardboard rocket ship, pointing out different things to Jessie, who was sitting wide eyed in front of him.

"Buzz Lightyear!" He exclaimed. "Are you showing off again?"

Buzz made a face at him and Bo poked him lightly in the stomach. "Leave him alone," she scolded playfully.

Woody laughed but he was glad to see the Space Ranger was back to his old self.


	5. Almost Caught

That night Jessie's dreams were filled with images of Buzz and outer space. They sat together on the outside of Buzz's cardboard rocket ship, sailing through the galaxy. A million stars zoomed by and Jessie laughed, feeling free for the first time in a long time. She spread her arms open and closed her eyes, leaning her head back. "Jessie! Be careful," Buzz warned. "You don't want to fall over the edge." But his arms were around her waist and she knew he would never let her fall…..

"It's time to wake up, dear," a gentle voice called as if from far away.

"Nooo," she groaned, not wanting to open her eyes. "Buzz…" Somebody laughed softly and Jessie's eyes shot open. For a moment, she wondered where she was and she pushed herself up on her elbows, looking around.

"Relax, it's just me," Bo Peep said, still stifling a giggle.

Jessie saw that they were in Molly's room. She vaguely remembered Molly and Andy playing in Andy's room when he'd gotten home from riding bikes last night. The details were all a blur though, as she'd been thoroughly exhausted from her roundup party and the events of the last few days. Molly must've taken here in here last night after she'd really fallen asleep.

"Dreaming about Buzz?" Bo teased.

"Well, he is dreamy," Jessie said as she stood up. "Hey. Where's Molly?"

"She's out for the day. Mom's taken her shopping while Andy is at the birthday party."

"Oh. So we really are alone for the whole day?"

"Uh-huh."

Jessie smiled.

"Well, don't you like playing with Andy and Molly, dear?" Bo asked, a little concerned.

"Of course I do. I love when they play with me. I just like hanging out with my new friends too."

"We like hanging out with you," Bo assured her. She smiled. "Or did you mean Buzz most of all?"

The butterflies in Jessie's stomach unexpectedly fluttered their wings at the mention of his name. "I like all my new friends, but Buzz is really cool too. We're sort of going on a date tomorrow night," She said, a little sheepishly.

"A date? How romantic," she sighed. "I guess he finally made his move then."

Jessie nodded. "We got to talking after the party last night." She remembered with a smile how they'd gotten to spend some time alone together, without the nervousness either of them felt getting in the way for once. She hoped that today he would be as comfortable around her as he was last night, with his hands in her hair….

"Well isn't that nice? I told you he'd come around eventually," Bo said sweetly.

Jessie felt antsy and eager to see him again. "Since Molly's not here, maybe we could…" She stopped, unsure of how to continue without making it obvious to Bo how badly she wanted to be around Buzz.

Bo smiled at her friend's impatience. "I suppose we could go on into Andy's room with everyone else."

Jessie grinned and helped Bo out the tiny sliver of space between the door and the door frame. She eagerly ran across the hall and into Andy's room with Bo following close behind.

"Hello, ladies," Woody greeted them with a smile. He leaned down to give Bo a peck on the cheek.

Jessie quickly turned away before they got all mushy. Bullseye galloped over to her and licked her face excitedly. Jessie laughed. "I'm happy to see you too, pal," she assured him with a pat on the head. She put her hand to the back of his neck and walked next to him, scanning the room for Buzz.

Her heart felt like it was in her throat, it was pounding so hard. Jessie mentally scolded herself for getting so caught up. Sure, she was glad they'd finally gotten a chance to get to know one another. She was genuinely happy and completely flattered that he liked her, as she had been since her first night in Andy's room when Buzz had made it totally obvious to everyone. She giggled out loud at the memory. And she liked him a lot too, the butterflies in her stomach and the smile that played on her lips right now as she caught sight of him were proof enough of that. Still, she'd only been here for three days. As much as she liked to be spontaneous, she also wanted to take things slow and savor every moment spent with her new friends. The last time she'd let herself get so caught up in something……. Well, she knew how well that had turned out.

All of the unhappy thoughts in Jessie's head quickly melted away as Buzz caught her attention and waved her over, smiling widely. Jessie smiled back and gently urged Bullseye forward to where Buzz was sitting on the floor with Slinky, Rex, and Wheezy. They were playing a board game.

"Good morning, Prairie Princess," Buzz greeted her.

"Jessie!" Rex swung his tail excitedly. "We're just getting started. Do you want to play too?"

Jessie nodded. "Sure!" Rex and Wheezy moved closer to Buzz as they made room for her and Bullseye to join their small circle. She was a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to sit next to the space ranger, but she settled down next to Slinky and grinned at Buzz, who was smiling ear to ear as he looked at her.

Wheezy gave her brief instructions on how to play the game and they all got started. Bullseye ran around the circle happily, occasionally peeking over a toy's shoulder to see how they were progressing in the game. The toys chattered excitedly about what a great time they'd had last night at Jessie's Roundup and she was pleased. She politely took part in the conversation as she moved her gamepieces around the board. But Rex had played this game many times before, and he won fairly quickly.

After the game was over, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head came over to see what everybody was up to and Slinky suggested another round. Rex invited the potatoes to play and they eagerly agreed. Jessie looked up as Buzz moved away from the circle and came over to her. He leaned down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "How about coming with me for awhile?" He whispered hopefully, his breath cool on her face.

Jessie felt a thrill go through her and she looked around the circle, but thankfully nobody else seemed to notice. Everybody else was arguing playfully over what color gamepiece they would get to use. She turned back to Buzz and nodded. He gently helped her to her feet.

"Where are we going?" She asked quietly once they were away from the group.

"Outside," he informed her with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Outside?" She repeated, a little nervous.

"I thought I'd show you the escape route now while there's nobody around. That way we'll be able to move faster tomorrow night when they are," He explained. "What do you think?"

Jessie's sense of adventure got the best of her. "I think that's a great idea!" She ran ahead. "What are we waiting for?"

"Slow down," Buzz said, laughing as he ran after her. "You don't even know how to get out," he pointed out.

"Oh yeah." Jessie giggled and waited, a little impatiently, for Buzz to catch up to her. He placed a hand on her back and ushered her out the door, pausing momentarily to wave to Woody, who was regarding them with a look in his eyes that Jessie didn't recognize as they left the room.

"What was that all about?" Jessie asked when they were in the hall.

"He's just warning us to be careful," Buzz explained.

She nodded. "Woody can be a little uptight," she observed.

Buzz rolled his eyes. "You have no idea." He took her hand and carefully led her down the stairs and to the right.

"The front door's ahead of us," Jessie said, confused.

"I know. We're going a different way." Buzz winked and walked to the kitchen.

Jessie looked around, puzzled. "The doggy door?" She guessed.

"Yes, ma'am." He held the door up for her and she hunched her shoulders, ducking down as she stepped over the edge. She turned around to take Buzz's hands and pulled him out. The two toys scurried around to the side of the house.

Jessie looked up at the bushes, the grass, the trees, the sky in awe. When her friends had brought her home three days ago, it had been dark. The green wonderland that was now all around her had been hidden. She smiled as she felt the sun's light shining on her face and she threw her head back and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh scent of the daytime. She opened her eyes again after a moment, not wanting to miss anything.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Buzz watched her as she took in everything around her.

"Oh, yes," She agreed. She turned to look at him and squinted slightly as the sun's rays reflected off his helmet. "You have no idea how long it's been… " she let her voice trail off, not wanting to spoil the moment with unpleasant thoughts. In the distance, birds chirped loudly. When she looked up she could see them in the tops of the trees, flitting from one branch to another.

"Hey, Jess?" Buzz asked.

"Mmm?" She responded, turning her head around in time to see him run up behind her and lightly tap her shoulder.

"Tag! You're it!' He shouted running off.

"Oh, you are on, Space Boy!" She shouted as she took off after him. She followed him through the bushes and around the house. They ran around the swing set and under the porch, leapt over the garden hose. Jessie chased him back to the side of the house. She followed him through the bushes again, but just before she got through to the other side, a car pulled up to the house. She crouched back in between the branches, panic stricken. She looked around for Buzz.

"Ssh!" she heard a hiss. Buzz was pressed against the side of the house, hiding behind the gutter. "Stay very still," he whispered with a finger over his lips.

She turned to face him, her eyes wide.

The van door slid open loudly and Andy and another boy bounded out, pushing each other playfully. Andy's mom walked briskly ahead, with her key in her hand and Molly in her arms. She opened the door quickly and yelled for the boys to come inside.

Jessie's eyes were frozen on Buzz. He kept his eyes on her too, silently willing her to stay still. Jessie was shaking and she heard a twig snap underneath her feet. She looked up at Buzz, alarmed. He shook his head and mouthed for her to stay where she was.

"What was that?" Andy's friend asked, turning around.

Andy paused just as he was about to step inside the house. "I don't know," he said. "But it sounded like it was coming from that bush over there," he pointed.

Andy's friend walked over to the bush next to the one Jessie was perched in. He moved some branches with his hand, but to his disappointment found nothing.

"Probably just a squirrel or something," Andy said as he and his friend entered the house.

Buzz breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the door close, but he stayed where he was and motioned for Jessie to do the same.

"Buzz," a sharp voice hissed. Buzz looked up to see Woody practically hanging out the window. He did not look happy. "Andy's in the basement. We're sending Slinky down."

Buzz nodded. He ran the short distance to the bush that Jessie was still hiding in. "Come on, Jessie," he said quietly, holding out a hand. "We're going up through the window."

Jessie sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, still shaking. "That was close," she whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry. We'll just have to be more careful from now on." He stretched out his hand further, but she didn't move. "Come on, Jess," he pleaded. "The kids are in the basement. We have to act now before they come upstairs."

Jessie looked up at him through the branches. "What if we don't make it?"

"We will," he said. He leaned over to her when she didn't move. "We'll make it. I promise," he said gently.

Jessie nodded slowly. She held out her arms and Buzz pulled her close to him. "That's a good girl," he said soothingly as he patted her braid. "Come on, you're going up first," he said as he pulled her out of the bush.

She walked over to Slinky, who was looking at her sympathetically. "Just hold onto my paws, doll face," he instructed. Jessie grabbed onto him tightly and was up in no time.

Woody was waiting for her on the other side and he pulled her over and set her down on the desk. "Wait here for me," he warned and she didn't dare move.

He turned to pull Buzz up and when they were all over he regarded them with a harsh look. "I don't think I need to tell you both how dangerous that was for all of us," He said.

Jessie looked down at her hands. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"It was my fault," Buzz spoke up. "I was trying to impress her."

"Buzz, you put her in danger!" Woody threw up his hands. "You put all of us in danger."

"I know. I'm sorry, Woody," Buzz said sincerely.

Woody sighed. "I know you are. But don't let it happen again."

Buzz nodded. Jessie looked up at Woody. "It won't happen again," she spoke softly.

"Jess…" Woody started, but she ran off before he could continue.

"Jessie!" Buzz shouted, but Woody held up a hand. "I should go talk to her," he said.

"Let me talk to her first," Buzz pleaded.

"Okay," Woody agreed. "But be careful. She's been through a lot."

"Tell me about it. Getting trapped on a plane to Japan after being in storage, moving in to a strange new place, and then almost getting caught by real people is traumatic enough for anyone," he agreed.

Woody shook his head. "It's more than that. Jessie's had it rough."

Buzz looked concerned. "What do you mean?"

Woody debated for a moment, then decided he should probably tell his friend everything. "She used to belong to a girl. This was before the Prospector and the museum and everything."

Buzz nodded and waited for Woody to continue.

"But the girl grew up and gave her away. She abandoned her, Buzz."

Buzz looked to where Jessie was sitting on the window sill, hugging her knees. "Wow."

Woody looked at Buzz. "And I think…. I think she may have spent more time in storage than either of us realizes," he added. "I should go apologize for being so harsh."

"You probably should. But let me talk to her first," Buzz insisted again. "I think I've been making real progress talking to her and I don't want to lose my nerve now."

"Fine," Woody conceded. "But don't push her too hard. She's finally starting to trust us. Or at least she was."

"She'll be okay," Buzz said. "She's a strong woman."

"I know. But still, she's very fragile."

Buzz sighed as he made his way over to the window sill.


	6. Something Special

Jessie was sitting on the window sill with both arms hugging her knees, which were pulled up to her chest. Her face was buried between her hat and her hands, and she sat with her back against the edge. Her entire form was illuminated with a soft glow by the moonlight shining through the glass. Buzz shuffled over to her and nervously cleared his throat once he was standing in front of her.

"Mind if I sit?" He asked softly. Jessie shrugged her shoulders without looking up. Buzz sighed as he pulled himself up onto the window sill and sat across from her. He stretched out his legs and folded his arms loosely across his chest, waiting for her to say something.

After a few moments of silence he started to inch closer to her, slowly and hesitantly, unsure of how to begin. Up until this moment, he'd felt that he and Jessie were making some real progress in developing a close friendship. He hadn't been awkward or nervous around her in the last two days, and after they'd danced together he'd started to think that maybe it was possible that she might like him as much as he liked her. But now, while she sat unmoving and as far away from him as the distance of the window sill would allow, he felt that he was right back at the beginning, very nervous and completely unsure of what to say.

He stopped moving and slid back against the edge when he thought he saw her shrink back a little. Buzz sighed softly. Wasn't it just last night when she'd looked at him with wide, adoring eyes as he explained to her the different functions of a spaceship? Wasn't it just a few hours ago that she was bubbling with excitement and anticipation for their date? They'd been so close, but now he felt so far. Even though he was sitting less than a foot away from her, he felt as if he were lightyears away.

Buzz thought for a moment. Finally, he said, "Uh.. Woody was going to come talk to you, but I wanted to see you first."

A muffled sound escaped from Jessie's hunched form. "I understand if he wants me to leave," she whispered, nearly inaudibly.

Buzz's eyebrows shot up. "What? No!" He nearly shouted. "Nobody wants you to leave," he said, a little softer.

Jessie's round green eyes looked up at him, but she didn't lift her chin from her hands. "The sheriff is mad."

Buzz shook his head. "Woody will be fine."

"We made a mess of things." She was speaking so softly that Buzz had to strain to hear her.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I was just trying to impress you. But I promise to be more careful. I would never do anything to put you in danger, Jess."

Jessie nodded slowly. "It's been such a long time since I've been around… well, anyone. I guess I just got carried away. I forgot for a second to be discreet."

"It's okay," Buzz soothed. "You're with us now, and we'll help you. Things will get a lot easier, you'll see."

Jessie managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Buzz." She picked her head up and let her legs dangle over the edge of the window sill. She fidgeted with her hands briefly before looking up at Buzz again. "Can I come sit with you?" She asked quietly.

Buzz's heart soared. "Of course," he answered. He started to shift his weight to make room for her as she crawled across the ledge over to him, but to his surprise she settled herself in between his legs and leaned her head against his shoulder. Delighted, he wrapped both arms around her and breathed in her earthy scent. They sat together quietly for awhile.

Suddenly she regarded him with a mischeivous smile. "So why were you trying to impress little ol' me anyway?"

Buzz's cheeks grew red and she had to suppress a giggle. "I… uh…"

Jessie laughed. "You know, you don't have to try so hard to impress me." She looked out the window at the moon and was thoughtful for a moment. "Buzzy, I've been neglected, abandoned, tricked, and cheated. I'm a mess."

"I know," Buzz said quietly. "Woody told me a little about your past."

Jessie turned her gaze back to him. "Are you sure you still want to hang out with someone as messed up as me?" She shifted her weight slightly away from him, but only to view his reaction.

"Of course I do! Jessie, we're friends now. Nothing's going to change that. Besides, you're not all that messed up. You've been through a lot. And now you have Andy and Molly, and all your friends to help take care of you."

Jessie smiled. "I guess you're right. It's just hard to believe sometimes."

Buzz smiled back. "Well then, I'll always be here to remind you." His cheeks reddened again when she looked into his eyes and they were both quiet for a moment. He searched his mind, trying to think of something else to say to her. A light bulb went off inside his head. "You know, you and I, we share something special."

Jessie smiled. "We do?"

Buzz nodded. "Yeah, we're both newcomers to Andy's room. So… we can find our way together."

"Together?"

Buzz looked at her hopefully.

Jessie smiled. "Bo said something about you being sorta new here. But you just seem to fit in so well!"

Buzz laughed. "If you only knew," he said lightheartedly, although he couldn't help noticing that Jessie had just admitted that she talked to Bo Peep about him.

Jessie laughed too. "I'm sure you have lots of stories for me… just how long have you been here?"

"A little less than eight months." He winked. "So I do have eight months of stories to tell about everybody."

Jessie smiled. "Eight months. And you came new, right out of the box?"

Buzz nodded.

"My goodness, you're a baby!" She grinned. "You don't even want to know how old I am."

Buzz frowned, slightly alarmed, but he laughed when he saw that she was laughing. "That.. doesn't matter," he said, a little awkwardly. He held out his arms for her to come join him again and was relieved when she eagerly settled back down against him.

Jessie's heart pounded in her chest and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered wildly. Ever since Buzz had shown the slightest interest in her on her first night in Andy's room, she had hoped that he would make a move. Now that she was opening up to him after not being close with anyone for years and years and he was finally making it clear that he wanted to move forward with her, she was more nervous than ever.

"Buzz, why do you like me?" Jessie asked suddenly.

Buzz lowered his eyes, embarassed. "Because you're kind. And smart, funny, strong… not to mention cute."

Now it was Jessie's turn to blush. "You really are the sweetest toy… but I've never really been known as the pretty girl type. Not like girly girl Bo or the sassy Barbie's. And I don't want you to think that I'm some damsel in distress."

Buzz laughed. "I don't think anyone thinks you're the damsel in distress type. But there is something really charming about a girl who can take care of herself but also recognizes when she needs some help. It's very s-sexy," Buzz added, nearly choking over the word. Jessie's cheeks flamed a bright shade of red and neither one of them said anything more. Buzz was glad when Woody approached them.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Woody said.

Buzz shook his head. "No, please, have a seat." He was disappointed when Jessie slid away from him to make room for the cowboy.

Woody pulled himself up onto the window sill and settled down in between Buzz and Jessie. He turned toward the cowgirl. "Jessie… I'm sorry if I was too harsh on you."

"You didn't do anything wrong. Me and Buzz were the irresponsible ones. I understand why you were so upset."

Woody nodded. "It was irresponsible, but Jessie, I was only upset because I don't want to see anything bad happen to you, Buzz, or any of the other toys in this room. We're all family and we need to look out for each other, always."

Jessie smiled. "Buzzy and I were just talking about that. I guess I'm still learning."

"I know that. And I really am sorry for overreacting. I hope you know that you can still come to me."

Jessie nodded. "Of course." She let Woody pull her into a warm hug. When they separated, Woody lowered himself from the window sill onto the desk.

Jessie looked over at Buzz with a frown. "I hope we can find something else to do tomorrow night."

Buzz pulled Woody by the arm before he could move away. "Hold on a second. Woody, I still want to show Jessie the meteor shower."

Woody sighed. "I don't know, Buzz…."

"Come on, Woody. It'll be after the Davis's are asleep and we won't make any noise, I promise."

Woody placed his hands on his hips. "Still, it's very dangerous and after what happened today…"

"Please? I really want to do this for her."

Woody looked from Jessie's huddled form to Buzz's hopeful eyes. "Okay, Pal," he reluctantly said after a moment. Buzz smiled widely and Woody gripped his shoulder tightly. "I'm really trusting you," he said seriously.

"Thank you, thank you!" Buzz exclaimed.

Woody shook his head and walked away.

Jessie's eyes were wide when Buzz turned back to look at her. "Are you sure it's a good idea?" She asked meekly.

Buzz nodded. "We'll be extra careful, I promise."

Jessie thought for a moment. She really wanted to see the meteor shower and the thought of getting to spend some more time with Buzz sent another swarm of butterflies flying through her stomach, but she couldn't bear the thought of getting caught and ruining everything for her new friends.

Buzz's eyes were a sparkling cerulean blue as he looked meaningfully at her. "You can trust me," he whispered.

Jessie smiled. "Okay," she whispered back.


	7. Reunion

The next day, after all of Molly's playgroup friends got picked up and Mrs. Davis had tucked Molly into her toddler bed for a nap, Buzz stood in the hall with Woody. They leaned against the side of the bookcase that was just outside Andy's room. Woody had taken attendance and thankfully, all the toys were safe inside. All except for one, that is. Molly had grabbed Jessie hours before when her friends had started to arrive, and she'd taken her down to the family rooom where Mrs. Davis had set a place for the children to play.

Buzz held onto the banister with both hands and peeked his head out in between two of the bars. He looked down and scanned the room for the cowgirl, but she was nowhere to be found. "Should I go down after her?" He worriedly asked Woody.

Woody shook his head. "She knows what to do. Just give her some time," he said calmly, but he was secretly a little worried too. He just hoped that Jessie had been paying attention to the part of the meeting where they'd explained where to meet up if anyone got separated.

Buzz recalled the conversation he'd had with Jessie the night before about her not being a damsel in distress, but he knew how rough toddlers could be while they were playing. What if she'd been hurt? Besides, she was probably still shaken up after the two of them had almost gotten caught playing tag by Andy and one of his friends. What if she was too afraid to move? Buzz turned back to Woody impatiently.

"I'm sure she's just being extra cautious. We'll give her ten more minutes and then one of us will go searching for her," Woody said in a tone that left nothing up for discussion.

Downstairs, Jessie was pulling herself up from the floor after she was sure that Mrs. Davis wasn't coming back down. She sighed inwardly. What a long day it had been. She loved playing with Molly and all her friends, but it had been quite some time since she'd been around so many energetic children all at once, and she was exhausted. Plus, the playgroup had gone on for an hour longer than expected, which had given her even more time to anxiously anticipate her night with Buzz. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered excitedly everytime she thought about it and she realized with a smile that she actually liked the feeling and hoped it would never go away. All her reluctance about going outside again had melted away when Buzz had promised her that they would be more careful, and it did help her nerves to know that this time they had Woody's approval. Now that she was actually looking forward to it, her impatience was getting the best of her. The afternoon spent with the slightly rowdy toddlers had actually been a welcome distraction.

Jessie kept her steps light as she walked across the wooden floor slowly, being very careful not to make a sound. She tiptoed to the bottom of the staircase and looked up cautiously before continuing. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw that Buzz was waiting for her at the top of the stairs with Woody and she grinned. Another wave of excitement bubbled up inside of her and she struggled to fight the impulse to just run up the stairs and into Buzz's arms. She hesitated before gripping the step in front of her with her hands.

Woody waved her on encouragingly and Buzz stretched out a hand, although there were still quite a few steps in between them.

Jessie made her way up the stairs slowly and without making a sound. She grinned proudly when she reached the top and took Buzz's hand, letting him pull her the rest of the way up. She slapped a hand on the side of the bookcase in triumph and regarded her friends with a wide smile.

"So you were listening to me," Woody teased.

Jessie stuck her tongue out at him and they all laughed. "Come on," she urged. "Let's get back into Andy's room."

Bo greeted them eagerly when they stepped inside. She started to take Jessie by the hand, but Woody tapped Jessie lightly on the shoulder to get her attention.

"You did a really great job with the whole playgroup situation today," he told her and Jessie smiled warmly at him. "I want you to know that I meant it when I said that I trusted you and Buzz," he continued. "I hope you can put your worries aside and really have a great time tonight."

"T-thank you," Jessie said, her cheeks flushing a slight pink.

Bo laughed and continued to pull her away from the guys. Jessie rolled her eyes, knowing that she was in for a really girly conversation.

Buzz slapped Woody on the back. "Thanks, Pal. We won't let you down," he said.

Woody shook his head. "Just make it worth it," he said with a wink.


	8. Jitters

Time seemed to pass by extremely slowly after Molly's friends left on Sunday. Jessie could hardly contain her excitement over the meteor shower, and now that it was clear that she would be going on a date with Buzz, the butterflies in her stomach would not rest. Jessie nervously walked the length of Andy's room with Bo. She fidgeted with her braid, knowing that Bo would be eager to chat about the date part of the event.

"That's great news that Woody is okay with you and Buzz going outside later," Bo Peep started with a warm smile, but Jessie held up a hand before she could say anything more.

"Don't start, Bo. I'm nervous enough as it is."

Bo laughed. "What are you so nervous about?"

Jessie looked at her with widened eyes. "The date," she admitted. "What do I wear? What do I do?" She wrung her hands in exaggerated desperation.

Bo smiled coyly. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it," she said.

Jessie bit her lip.

"Okay, okay," Bo giggled. "First, why don't you just wear what you have on? You know, considering that you can't really change. As for what you're going to do? How about watch the meteor shower and talk to Buzz?"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "You make it sound so simple."

"It is. Why are you so nervous?" Bo regarded her friend with a look of concern. "You're the one who wanted Buzz to make a move, remember? You do still like him, don't you?"

Jessie sighed. This was turning into just the conversation she'd wanted to avoid. "Of course I do. I don't know. Maybe it's just what happened the last time we went outside. Or the fact that I've never been on a real date before. I can't explain it. I'm just… anxious."

Bo placed both her hands on Jessie's shoulders. "You'll be fine," she soothed.

"Keep in mind while you're simplifying things that I don't have as much dating experience as you do," Jessie pointed out.

Bo thought for a moment. "Well, you two have been talking a lot more. At least you know that he'll actually be able to carry on a conversation."

"True," Jessie agreed with a giggle.

"So just talk about stuff. Things you like, things you don't like. Don't worry, you'll do just fine and then the first date jitters will be out of the way in time for your second date."

"You're right," Jessie said. "Ugh, why do you have to be so practical all the time?"

On the other side of Andy's room Buzz followed Woody as he made the rounds, checking for a second time that every toy was accounted for. "What did you mean by 'just make it worth it?'" Buzz wondered aloud.

Woody rolled his eyes. "It was a joke, Buzz."

"Oh." Buzz was quiet for a moment as he pondered. "But just out of curiosity, how would one make it worth it?"

"Oh for crying out loud! How am I supposed to know? I'm not the one dating Jessie!"

Buzz frowned. "Can you really call it dating if we haven't even been on the first date yet?"

Woody placed a hand on his head. "Are we really talking about this?"

"You've been on tons of dates, Woody. I've never been on a date before."

Woody sighed. "Alright. I guess we're talking about this."

"So… any pointers?"

Woody pushed his hat back on his head. "Just one. Be yourself."

Buzz waved him on. "Other than that."

"That's it. You seem to be doing alright with Jessie so far, so point yourself in the right direction."

Buzz crossed his arms. "I'm serious."

"So am I!" Woody exclaimed defensively. "She's talked to you more in the last two days than any other toy in this room all week and probably more than any toy in a long time. I'm willing to bet you know more about her now than I do, so you must be doing something right."

"Well, she did open up to me quite a bit," Buzz said thoughtfully. He smiled. "Thanks, Pal."

Woody smiled back, grateful that the conversation seemed to be over. "Anytime."

"Just one more question."

"What's that?"

"It's customary to kiss a girl after a date, right?"

Woody rolled his eyes. "You're pathetic."


	9. Shooting Stars

An eternity seemed to pass while Jessie lay still on Andy's bed. Woody and Bullseye had fallen asleep hours ago, but she couldn't see Buzz from her position. She stared at the glowing stars on Andy's mural and eagerly anticipated seeing real stars. She wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at the same spot, but it seemed like an excruciatingly long time. Finally, she felt Buzz place a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ready?" He whispered into her ear, the sudden warmth of his breath sending chills through her.

She nodded wordlessly, hoping that he couldn't see her shiver. She took his hand and they silently made their way out of the room and into the hall. Once they got to the top of the staircase, Buzz placed a gentle hand on her back and nudged her forward as they descended the staircase in single file. They peered around the wall before continuing to the kitchen, checking to see if Buster was there. The coast was clear, so they kept going. Jessie held the dog door open for Buzz while he stepped through, then he turned around and lifted her down to the ground.

"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Jessie asked nervously.

Buzz nodded. "Don't you?"

"Yeah." She hurried to Buzz's side, not wanting to get separated just in case.

"You're not nervous, are you?" Buzz asked.

"A little," she admitted. She looked at him through thick eyelashes, her green eyes wide, and Buzz felt his heart skip a beat. "Are you?"

Buzz shook his head, not trusting himself to speak yet. He held out his hand and Jessie took it eagerly. They walked to the back yard, where they would be the least visible to anyone who might be out at this hour.

Buzz looked up at the sky. Jessie followed his gaze and her eyes lit up when she saw a streak of light flash across the sky.

"It looks so far away!" Jessie said excitedly. Buzz pointed out different things to her and she turned her head quickly, not wanting to miss anything.

After a moment, Buzz sat down in the grass. He motioned for Jessie to sit next to him and she did, throwing her head back in awe as she gazed at the stars. "It's all so beautiful," she gushed.

"It sure is," Buzz said quietly, his gaze fixed on Jessie.

Jessie turned to look at him and her cheeks flushed when she realized that he was talking about her. They both were silent for awhile and Buzz searched for something to say to break the awkward silence. "I like the stars," was all he could think of at the moment.

Jessie grinned. "Me too." She thought for a minute. "I used to pretend I could see the stars when I was locked up in storage."

"Really?" Buzz moved closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

Jessie nodded. "It was so dark all the time. At least with the stars, I was never alone."

Buzz ran his fingers along the seam that attached her arm to her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had such a terrible past," he whispered.

Jessie shook her head. "None of that matters now."

"I hope you mean that," Buzz answered softly.

"I do. I really like it here. It feels like home." Jessie smiled as Buzz tightened his grip on her. She took a deep breath as she leaned into his embrace. "And I really like spending time with you," she whispered.

Buzz's heart beat fast as he realized how close her face was to his. "I really like spending time with you too."

"I'm really glad we talked yesterday. I feel like we're best friends." Jessie relaxed against him. She thought for a moment how silly she was to have been nervous. This was so easy…

"We can be best friends if you want," Buzz said.

Jessie nodded eagerly. "I've never had a best friend besides Emily!" She threw her arms around his neck and Buzz couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

Jessie repositioned herself in his lap and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Are you still worried that we'll get caught?" He asked.

Jessie shook her head. "Nope. You won't let that happen, right?"

"No, I won't let that happen." Buzz breathed in her scent. Neither one of them said anything for awhile after that, but it wasn't awkward this time. Buzz raised his eyes back up to the sky and gently tugged on her braid when he saw a particularly bright flash of light. "Look, Jessie! A shooting star! Make a wish," He said.

Jessie shook her head again. "I don't need to. All my wishes have already come true," she said softly with a meaningful look.

Buzz raised a hand to her face. Jessie closed her eyes at his touch, the butterflies in her stomach flying faster than the stars. She tilted her head back in anticipation as she felt him bring his face closer to hers. He slid his hand to the back of her head and the softest hint of peppermint filled her senses right before she felt his lips touch hers softly.

She opened her eyes when she felt him move back. "That was nice," she breathed.

"Yeah," he agreed. "That was my wish." Jessie's cheeks flushed again and Buzz couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was. He leaned closer and this time he closed his eyes too. His heart was pounding so hard, for a second he hoped she couldn't hear it, but when his lips touched hers again he forgot everything else. He felt her wrap her arms tightly around his waist and he raised both hands to her face.

Jessie shifted slightly in his lap. She leaned back down into the grass, inadvertently pulling him down on top of her.

Buzz opened his eyes and pressed his hands into the ground. "Whoa, slow down, Partner. What's the rush?" He asked gently.

Jessie reluctantly raised herself up onto her elbows. "I don't want this moment to end. I feel like it's all going to disappear," she whispered, her eyes round.

Buzz took one of her hands and brought it up to his lips. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. He gently pulled her up into a sitting position. "We'll have a lot more moments like this. Maybe even better than this."

"Really?"

Buzz nodded once, not taking his eyes off of hers.

"Oh, Buzz," She hugged him tightly. "It's been so long since I felt anything for anyone… and now I have all these feelings for you…."

"Sssh.. it's okay," Buzz told her. "We'll take it slow and figure it all out together."

Jessie laughed. "How's it possible that I fell for you in four days?"

"I don't know… how is it possible that I fell for you in one day?"

Jessie leaned her head against his shoulder. "I just want to do everything with you," she whispered. "Anything and everything."

Buzz kissed her forehead. "Me too," he admitted. "But we have lots of time. We'll do things when we're ready."

Jessie breathed a sigh of relief. "This is so much better than not being able to talk to each other."

"You can always talk to me," Buzz promised. "And I'm really glad you do."

"Me too." Jessie thought for a moment. "Buzz?"

"Mmmm?" He murmured against her hair.

"We'll always be best friends, right?"

"Always," he whispered.

"Should we go back inside before someone sees us?"

"If that's what you want."

"Well, it's not exactly what I want….. but it's probably safer to go in now before we actually have to."

Buzz nodded. "You're right." He stood up reluctantly and pulled her up to face him. "Lead the way."

Jessie crept around the side of the house and through the dog door, with Buzz following closely behind. They tiptoed up the stairs and into Andy's room, being extra cautious not to wake anyone.

Once inside, Jessie started to tug on the bedspread, but Buzz stopped her. "We don't want to wake Andy," he whispered.

Jessie watched as he crawled under the bed. He tugged on her pant leg and she slowly followed with wide eyes.

"It'll be like we just fell off the bed," he explained in a whisper.

Jessie nodded. "Good idea."

He wrapped an arm around her. "Besides, I don't really want to end the night yet," he said in a hushed tone. He gave her a content smile. If they had been lightyears away from each other before, they were just the opposite now and all signs pointed to it staying that way.

Jessie smiled back. "Me neither," she whispered back. She settled in against him and the two talked in hushed whispers for hours more.


	10. Epilogue: Beyond Infinity

By the time Jessie and Buzz awoke on Monday morning, Andy had already left for school. "Good morning, Prairie Princess," Buzz said with a smile when Jessie opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she answered, wiping the sleep from her eyes. For a moment she had to think about where she was and then she remembered sneaking in after looking at the stars the night before. She grinned. "Last night was awesome," she said.

Buzz laughed. "It sure was. But everybody's going to be wondering where we are and I don't want Woody to get mad."

Jessie nodded. "Now what?"

"Now we go see what the others are up to and pick whatever game we want to join," Buzz answered. He offered her his arm. "Can I walk you to the desk?"

Jessie slipped her arm through his and was delighted to find that the butterflies were awake too. "Sure!" She walked with Buzz across the floor.

Rex and Hamm were playing a board game nearby with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and they waved the two over excitedly.

"Jessie! Buzz! Come play with us!" Rex said gleefully.

Buzz turned to Jessie. "Shall we?"

"We shall," she said with a laugh. She hugged his arm in both of hers as they walked toward their friends. "I'm really glad we have each other," she said with a friendly smile.

Buzz nodded. "For infinity and beyond," he replied.

Jessie thought for a moment. "Hey, Buzz?"

"Yes?" Buzz looked at her with a gleam in his eyes.

For a second, she almost forgot what she was going to say, but then she asked, "What exactly is beyond infinity?"

Buzz hesitated for a just a split second before answering. "You'll have to stick around long enough for me to show you," he said with a wink.

Jessie giggled. "Are you just saying that because you don't know?"

"No!" Buzz said. He leaned closer to face. "I'm saying that because I really hope you stay."

Jessie's cheeks grew warm, but then she realized that they had reached the desk.

"Hi there, Jessie!" Rex welcomed her warmly.

"Howdy, Partners!" Jessie greeted them. She settled down next to Hamm on the floor and Buzz took a seat next to her. Mrs. Potato Head handed them game pieces and the toys all began arguing over who was going to go first.

Jessie felt someone nudge her hand. She looked up into Buzz's sparkling blue eyes and smiled brightly as she took his hand. She still wasn't sure how much Buzz really knew about infinity, but she would definitely stick around to find out.


End file.
